Are you addicted to nicotine? It could be in your genes. A new study published today in the journal, 'Tobacco Control' indicates that people who have a gene mutation that causes their liver to clear nicotine from their body more slowly are more likely to become addicted to tobacco products.

The study was conducted on almost 1,200 13-year olds in Quebec Province. 228 of them were already smokers but were not yet considered addicted. After two years, 67 of the teens became addicted to nicotine. Scientists discovered that those with variants of the CYP2A6 gene were three times as likely to become addicted to tobacco products.

Interestingly enough, those who had the gene variant were likely to smoke fewer cigarettes. Scientists said this is most likely due to the fact that their bodies cleared out the nicotine more slowly so their experience was more intense and longer lasting than those teens without the gene variant. The intensity is the likely link to addiction.

Professor John Britton of the British Thoracic Society told the BBC, 'This study is further evidence of the crucial role played by nicotine in establishing a lifelong and lethal addiction to cigarettes. Our focus must be to prevent young taking from up smoking in the first place, and evidence suggests the best way is to drive down the prevalence of smoking in adults.'